The king of all Christmas light shows returns to Oglebay in Wheeling, West Virginia on November 4 where the annual Festival of Lights will illuminate the historic park through January 9.
Beginning in 1985, this must-see yuletide festival has grown into one of the nation’s largest holiday light shows, attracting more than one million visitors annually to witness 90 larger-than-life displays along a dazzling, six-mile drive through Oglebay Park.
Each year, countless visitors flock to this popular holiday attraction, but for Cheryl and Dick Jones, it’s a holiday ritual. For more than two decades, their family has traveled from Columbus, Ohio, to see the spectacle and to participate in their family’s long-standing holiday tradition.
“It’s a truly magical attraction,” said Cheryl. “And we’re fortunate enough to have Oglebay Park in our own backyard. Every year there’s something new to experience.”
The 2021 Festival of Lights season promises to be even more magical with the addition of a new theme–Sounds of the Season–which will showcase multi-sensory displays featuring twinkling lights paired with audio effects and popular holiday carols.
Oglebay’s iconic Mansion Museum will also serve as a popular holiday destination during the 2021 holiday season. By day, guests can tour this historic museum, which was the summer home of Cleveland industrialist Earl W. Oglebay in the 1900s, to explore 13 period rooms lavishly appointed with holiday décor.
By night, this famous landmark will come alive with a stunning, animated light show choreographed to toe-tapping holiday hits.
For kids, and kids at heart, Oglebay’s Good Zoo offers guests the opportunity to snap a photo with the big guy himself at the Santa’s Workshop attraction, and a nightly Wish for Snow experience allows guests to relive the magic of the first snow every night of the week on the zoo’s outdoor patio.
Those in search of the perfect holiday gift will enjoy shopping Oglebay’s six unique retail shops including the recently-renovated Carriage House gift shop which has expanded from glassware and now includes Wheeling Artisan Center products and unique Fiesta Tableware items, many of which are not found in other stores.
To ensure the Festival of Lights continues to shine brightly for years to come, a donation of $25 per vehicle is requested.
With each $25 donation guests will receive an exclusive rewards book containing more than $500 in money-saving Oglebay coupons and a 2021 Festival of Lights season pass valid all season long.
For those wishing to get away, Oglebay offers a variety of accommodations from private cabins to guest rooms in the iconic Wilson Lodge. While at Oglebay, guests can dine in four delicious restaurants, enjoy family activities like gingerbread house building, and take in live entertainment, just to name a few.
And after a full day of holiday merriment, guests can unwind with a variety of world-class massage services at Oglebay’s West Spa.
“There’s no better place to celebrate the holidays than at Oglebay,” said Cheryl. “It’s an annual tradition my family will cherish forever.”
For information about the Winter Festival of Lights, visit www.oglebay.com/lights.
Oglebay Festival of Lights 2021
